PALM-BASED TRANS-FREE LIQUID
SANTAN
by: ZAIDA ZAINAL; SHUID ABDUL AZIZ; WAN ROSNANI AWG ISA;
NOR AINI IDRIS and AZMAN ISMAIL
S
MPOB INFORMATION SERIES • ISSN 1511-7871 • JUNE 2008
antan (coconut milk) is rich in fat and its
consumption has been associated with
increased plasma low-density lipopro-
tein cholesterol levels (LDL) and great-
er risk of arterial thrombosis due to its
high contents of short chain saturated fatty
acids such as lauric (C12:0) and myristic
(C14:0). Therefore, the consumption of santan is
discouraged. Palm-based santan has therefore
been formulated to obviate the health risk (Figure
1). It has considerably lower C12-C16 saturated
Figure 1.
fatty acids, and its consumption, instead of normal
santan, has been found to lower serum total
cholesterol and cardiovascular risk (Ng and Tee,
1998). The additional benefits are that it is more
resistant to deterioration (e.g. from oxygen, light,
moisture), has better flavour and nutritive value,
and is more stable to handling during storage and
transport (Zaida et al., 1997). The product is also
trans-free. Coconut santan cannot keep more than
5 hr at room temperature (28°C-33°C) without
noticeable deterioration – becoming rancid,
discoloured and suffering phase separation. SENSORY EVALUATION
The process for making the MPOB palm-based
liquid santan involves emulsification and homog-
enization. Two types of palm-based liquid santan
have been produced – artificial/natural coconut
flavoured.
Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities, Malaysia
P. O. Box 10620, 50720 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: 03-87694400 Website: www.mpob.gov.my
415
MPOB TT No. 390
PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS
Proximate analyses of the palm-based and coconut
santans were done using standard analyses (Table
1). Coconut santan has higher fat and protein than
the palm-based santan. Nevertheless, the palm
santan is rich as a source of energy as coconut
santan, equally able to supply the bodily energy
requirements.
The physicochemical properties of the two
santans are shown in Table 2. Table 3 shows that
coconut santan has higher lauric (C12:0) and
myristic (C14:0) acids.
STORAGE STABILITY
Both santans were investigated for their stabil-
ity during storage at different temperatures. At
5oC and 28oC, the palm santan was stable for 28
days without preservative. Coconut santan, on the
other hand, turned rancid and deteriorated, being
more susceptible to oxidation, and enzymatic and
microbial attacks due to its preponderance of
short chain fatty acids. It could not be kept
for more than 5 hr without spoilage even in a
refrigerator at 2°C-5°C.
MICROSCOPY
The particle size of the palm santan after storage
for 24 hr at different temperatures was observed
under light microscopy (Figure 2). There were
noticeable effects of the different storage
temperatures on the particle size distribution.
Various traditional Malaysian foods like nasi le-
mak, bubur pulut hitam, curry and sago were pre-
pared using both the palm and coconut santans,
and evaluated by a sensory panel for appearance,
aroma/odour, taste and overall quality on a nine-
point scale (Figure 3). The palm santan (with and
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 TABLE 1. PROXIMATE COMPOSITIONS (%) OF PALM-BASED AND COCONUT SANTANS

Food component Palm santan Coconut santan

Fat 26.4 ± 0.1 29.4 ± 0.2

Protein 1.4 ± 0.1 2.2 ± 0.3

Moisture 63.1 ± 0.2 65.3 ± 0.1

Ash 1.2 ± 0.2 2.1 ± 0.1

Carbohydrate (by difference) 7.8 ± 0.2 2.3 ± 0.2

Energy (kJ/100 g) 1133.2 1 164.3

Note: Values are the means ± standard deviation from triplicate determinations.

TABLE 2. PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PALM AND COCONUT SANTANS

Characteristic Palm santan Coconut santan

Slip melting point (°C) 35.7 ± 0.2 22.4± 0.3

Iodine value ( mg g-1 iodine) 52.8± 0.2 10.2± 0.1

Viscosity 22.2± 0.1 33.2± 0.2

Note: Values are the means ± standard deviation from triplicate determinations.

TABLE 3. FATTY ACID CONTENTS OF PALM AND COCONUT SANTANS

Fatty acid (%)

Santan Lauric Myristic Palmitic Palmitoleic Stearic Oleic Linoleic

C12:0 C14:0 C16:0 C16:1 C18:0 C18:1 C18:2

Palm 0.25 1.0 41.7 0.2 3.7 42.0 10.7

Coconut 49.1 18.4 8.3 - 2.5 5.2 1.2

without flavour) scored better for appearance, but
there was no significant difference in aroma except
for bubur pulut hitam and nasi lemak (P < 0.05). The
aroma of coconut santan was better in these two
food products. There was a significant difference
in taste for meat curry, sago and nasi lemak with
palm-based santan being better. The overall quality
showed that nasi lemak made from coconut santan
was preferred. However, there was no significant
difference in the other foods tested.
term price of RM 6.50 litre-1 (in 200 ml packets),
palm santan production will generate a pre-tax in-
come of RM 325 109 to RM 357 500.
The unit cost of production is estimated to be at a
range of RM 4.98 to RM 5.65, depending on pro-
duction level. Using a 10% discount factor and
price of RM 6.50 litre-1 with a total sales 50 000 litre,
the production of palm santan is attractive with a
payback period of just 4.4 years (Table 4).

ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF PALM SANTAN
PRODUCTION
The commercial production of palm santan is ex-
pected to require a fixed investment of RM 98 000.
At various sale levels, namely, 50 000, 53 000 and
full operation of 55 000 litres a year, and at a long-
The venture is expected to yield a benefit:cost ra-
tio (B:C) of 1.07, net present value (NPV) of RM
119 599 and internal rate of return (IRR) of 33.92%.
If sales increase to 55 000 litre a year, the NPV will
increase to RM 166 225 and IRR to 42.49%. At this
sales level, the B:C is 1.09 and just 2.5-year (Table
5) are needed to recover the establishment and
operation costs. However, if the sales decrease to
 5°C 10°C 15°C

20°C 25°C

Figure 2. Micrographs of palm santan (without flavour) after storage for 24 hr at 5°C, 10°C, 15°C,
20°C and 25°C. Magnification, 400X.

Figure 3. Mean scrores from evaluation of food products made from palm-based trans-free liquid santan (with and
without flavour) and coconut santan. The means ± S.D. (n=10) are shown. Significant difference was taken
at p<0.05 using the t-test. *Significant different from the control at (p<0.05).
 TABLE 4. STORAGE STABILITY OF PALM SANTAN (with and without flavour) AND COCONUT
SANTAN AT 5°C AND 25°C

Stability at 5°C Stability at 25°C

Santan Day 1 Day 7 Day 14 Day 28 Day 1 Day 7 Day 14 Day 28

Palm Stable Stable Stable Stable Stable Stable Stable Stable

santan with
coconut
flavour

Palm santan Stable Stable Stable Stable Stable Stable Stable Stable
without
flavour

Coconut Stable for Emulsion Emulsion Emulsion Emulsion Emulsion Emulsion Product
santan only a few separated separated separated separated separated separated turned
hours. into 2 into 2 into into 2 into 2 into 2 brown,
phases, phases, 2 phases, phases. phases, phases, ‘faulty’
colour colour colour colour yellowish odour.
change, change, change, change, colour,
rancid smell. rancid smell. rancid smell. rancid rancid
smell. smell.

TABLE 5. FINANCIAL ANALYSES FOR INVESTMENT IN PRODUCING PALM SANTAN

Sales Discount rate at 10% PBP

(litre) (yr)
NPV (RM) IRR (%) B:C

50 000 49 660 20.49 1.03 4.4

53 000 119 599 33.92 1.07 3.1

55 000 166 225 42.49 1.09 2.5

50 000 litres a year (250 000 packets), the NPV and
IRR will decrease to RM 49 660 and 20.49%, respec-
tively. At all three production/sales levels, the in-
vestment is viable with the B:C ratio greater than
unity, the NPV positive and IRR above the oppor-
tunity cost of capital.
REFERENCES
NG, T K W and TEE, E S (1998). Replacing coco-
nut santan with palm oil santan: impact on dietary
C12-16 saturated fatty acids, serum total choles-
terol and cardiovascular risk. Malaysian Journal of
Nutrition Vol. 4 No. 1&2.
ZAIDA, Z; MOHD SURIA, A Y; NOOR LIDA, H
D; MOHD NOR, O and BURHANUDDIN, A S
(1997). Production and characterization of palm-
based santan powder. PORIM Information Series
No. 45.

For more information kindly contact:

Director-General
MPOB
P. O. Box 10620
50720 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: 03-87694400
Website: www.mpob.gov.my
Telefax: 03-89259446